Alexis Akrithakis Greek, 1939-94

Executed in Berlin in 1968, the present work is a prime example of Akrithakis' idiosyncratic abstract works of the period.

Alexis Akrithakis was a passionate, consummate, self taught artist, who has been described by some as a ‘poet of the visual arts'.  A rebellious child, Akrithakis was in and out of several public and private schools. In 1955, he started frequenting the legendary cafe Vyzantion, a haunt of the Athenian intelligentsia and artists of the time. There, he met the philosopher Georgios Makris, who encouraged him to become an artist.

In 1958, Akrithakis fled to Paris, using his family's savings to buy himself a motorcycle. In Paris, he studied life rather than art, having concluded that "the only food for art is life itself".

It was not before 1965 that Akrithakis decided to dedicate his life to art. This decision was followed by a lifelong creative journey during which he formulated his own idiosyncratic artistic vision, symbols and language. Recurring images - like aeroplanes, suitcases and paper-boats - highlight the escapism which dominated both his art and his life. Akrithakis loved to travel, both physically and figuratively. His often maze-like creations (tsiki tsiki) allow the viewer to do the same.

The playful nature of Akrithakis' work is evident in the present work. Following an invitation to Berlin, Akrithakis found himself in a joyous, creative milieu that allowed his art to blossom, and settled there for fifteen years. It is perhaps not surprising that he decided at this happy stage of his life to dedicate a series of works, of which the present painting forms part, to Georgios Makris, the man who had encouraged his early artistic endeavours.